PEABODY — When they were growing up, it seemed far-fetched to suggest that all three Dowling brothers would become firefighters. Neither of their parents worked in public safety departments, and the odds of three brothers all finding the same profession are admittedly slim.
But, decades later, the three brothers have all dedicated themselves to public service — in the city they were raised, no less — with eldest brother Jay serving as chief, middle brother Chris a captain, youngest brother Matt a lieutenant, and a combined 56 years of service to the Peabody Fire Department.
The Dowlings each took a different path to Peabody Fire — some more winding than others.
While studying criminal justice at Salem State University, Jay initially had his sights set on being a police officer. As part of preparing for the police exam, Jay took the exam given to prospective firefighters and wound up excelling. From there, he was given the chance to join the Fire Department and fell in love with the work.
Chris, much like his older brother, excelled on the Civil Service exam for firefighting. He said he took both a fire exam and a police exam after getting out of the Army, and after “bombing” the police exam, firefighting seemed the way to go.
But for Matt, it was not nearly as simple.
“I took criminal justice at Salem State just like Jay and wanted to be a police officer and took the test a couple times, took the fire test a couple times and did well, just not well enough,” he said. “I ended up getting a job with the city for the electric company for 15 years.”
In those six years since Matt joined the department, the three brothers have spent just one shift working side-by-side — when Matt and Chris were on Engine 3 and Jay worked on the ladder at Prospect Street. Both Jay and Chris were working overtime that day, completing 14-hour shifts.
“It was cool. We took a picture of that one,” Jay said.
But, different pairs of brothers have spent plenty of time working together — with Jay and Chris seeing each other every day in the central office, where Chris works as the fire prevention officer. Before that, when Jay was a deputy chief, he oversaw the division Matt worked in.
Both Matt and Chris were highly complimentary of their older brother, who was sworn in as chief in June. Chris joked the hardest part of working with his brother every day is just remembering to call him chief and not Jay.
“I’m doing a good job with that, right?” he asked.
“Very good job — too much sometimes,” Jay quipped.
Matt said Jay, also a former lieutenant and captain, has exemplified the ideal firefighter at every level.
“You wouldn’t want anybody else to be in this position,” he said.
As a lieutenant, Matt has the most traditional firefighting role. He oversees Engine 3, where two fellow firefighters report to him.
Chris, as the fire prevention officer, oversees fire inspections and the fire investigation unit. And Jay, as chief, oversees the entire department — making him the boss of both Chris and Matt.
Each brother spoke highly of their job.
“You don’t have to motivate yourself if you love the job you’re in,” Chris said. “It’s often said this is the best job in the world. I agree with that.”
“In the end, it’s still a job that you’re proud to do and makes you feel good to do,” he added.
Matt described firefighting as the ultimate team occupation and said no matter what role a person may hold in the department, everything has to be achieved with the help of others.
“The guys in the firehouse I’m in, they make the job easy. They’re phenomenal firefighters and they’re great people,” he said.
Jay echoed Chris’ remarks, and said he wakes up every day wanting to come to work, a phenomenon not many can claim to experience.
Despite no family ties to public safety, the Dowlings grew up immersed in public service. The mayor was their neighbor, and many of their friends’ parents were firefighters. As a result, all three brothers spent time on fire trucks long before it became their job.
“It was common for a fire truck to pull up on our street and then invite the kids (to) jump on the back bumper,” Matt recalled. “That definitely had an impact,.”
And, he said, seeing his two brothers make their way into the fire service definitely played a role in his desire to join the department.
“I’ve always looked up to both these guys and they’re a huge influence on me,” he said. “But I had to find out for myself, and … it’s been satisfying.”
The Dowlings are far from the only firefighting family in Peabody, with a handful of other sets of brothers and now fathers and sons working together.
Jay theorized the respect and admiration firefighters receive in the community can have an impact on family members, who might seek the same recognition.
“It’s a family thing all around,” he said.
